Pomegranate Cilantro Mezcalaritas

MEZCALARITAS MADE WITH CILANTRO CHUTNEY. YES, YOU READ THAT RIGHT.

I am not going to lie. I was NOT the biggest mezcal fan before I made my way to now one of my favorite cities in the world: Mexico City. Tucked into speakeasy mezcalerias in Mexico City with some of the best bartenders in the world, DANG– you will never look at mezcal the same way. Trust!

I preface this cocktail recipe with this introduction only because I had the honor of learning a little bit more about the spirit while I traveled to Mexico City and understood how to mix and shake it in a way that resonated and felt right. I took what these incredible bartenders taught me about how to treat the spirit...and here you are: pomegranate cilantro mezcalaritas!

I’ll also use this intro to present a love letter to Madre Mezcal: a beautiful take on mezcal that is LOVELY in all cocktails that require it and interestingly enough…is actually NOT as smoky-forward but gives you just enough oomph to have a cocktail taste extraordinary.

In short, if you make this cocktail and have all the mezcal at Total Wine

or BevMo to choose from…I hope you choose Madre Mezcal.

I know you’re probably waiting for me to talk about the chutney piece of it all, but to be honest– I’ll let you in on a secret. I don’t even think it is THAT wild. I mean, it pairs so beautifully with the fruity yet herby notes that come through in mezcal and the tartness from the pomegranate and subtle sweetness from the agave? I mean…we’ve got ourselves as B-A-L-A-N-C-E-D of a cocktail as it gets! But if we have to go there, I will say that this cocktail is refreshing, comforting, and special in all the ways. It’s a cocktail that keeps you interested and has you thinking about how beautiful a pairing of cilantro chutney + mezcal + pomegranate is and I can’t wait for you to try it yourselves!

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INGREDIENTS

For the mezcalarita:

• 1.5 ounces mezcal (I used Madre Mezcal)

• 2/60 ml ounces of pomegranate juice

• 1- 1 ½ teaspoons of coriander/cilantro chutney without garlic and onion, homemade or store bought (I used Mother’s Recipe Coriander Chutney)

• 0.75 oz of lime juice, freshly squeezed

• 1 oz of agave, plus more to taste if needed

For the rim/garnish:

• Agave nectar, optional for the rim

• Roughly 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut, optional for the rim

• Roughly 1 tablespoon of lime zest, for the rim, optional for the rim

• Lime slice or wedge, optional for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. This step is completely optional but if you want some ‘snow’ on the rim of your mezcalarita, begin by combining shredded coconut and lime zest at a 2:1 ratio.

2. Dip the rim of your glass in agave nectar and then coat in the 2:1 ratio of shredded coconut and lime zest. Set aside.

3. In a shaker or large mason jar filled with ice, add in your mezcal.

4. Add in your pomegranate juice.

5. Now, add in your coriander/cilantro chutney. In other words: THE MVP of this cocktail.

6. Add in your agave. You can use more or less depending on your taste preference.

7. Shake, shake, shake until chilled. This should take you roughly about 20-30 seconds.

8. Pour your mezcalarita into your glass and garnish with a lime wheel if desired.

~ Serves 1

Notes

• I know it is noted in the ingredients section above but this is important and I’d like use the opportunity to reiterate. I’ve never made this with store bought coriander chutney that includes garlic/onion in the ingredients list, but I’d highly recommend using one that doesn’t. Most coriander chutneys at the store do NOT have onion and garlic but I’d recommend just double checking the ingredients before you get mixing and shaking!

• Totally optional but you CAN strain the mezcalarita before pouring it into your glass with a mesh sieve if you’d like. I prefer not to (I’m a texture person), but it’s your party and you can if you want to!

• The rim/garnish for all of my recipes are completely optional and are included within the recipe directions for those that are preparing these cocktails for holiday entertaining. I mean…what’s a festive party beverage without an equally festive rim? The shredded coconut is a fun touch that reminds me of snow and pairs nicely with the cocktail. You can also rim this with sugar or even coconut chips. While we are at it, sweetened coconut flakes are just as fun on this one! It’s a pretty savory cocktail so if you are a strong believer that a mezcalarita needs salt, I’d just recommend rimming half of the glass with salt and not the whole rim. You could also do a salt/lime zest mixture. See? The options are endless. :)